Disclaimer: Oh no, they don¡¦t belong to me, the characters belong to J.K. Rowling!
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.:Chapter One ¡V Flash Back:.
The portrait of the Fat Lady over the entrance of the Gryffindor common room flew open, and two members of the Ministry of Magic, along with four burly looking guards stepped in. Fifth year Harry Potter, as did everyone else in the crowded common room, looked up, surprised, as the men stalked to the center of the room, looking around.
Harry¡¦s body went numb. Around a month ago, towards the end of August, Harry had woken up one day to discover Vernon Dursley, along with his horrible aunt and monstrous cousin, dead, lying in their beds, eyes open, staring wildly, yet lifelessly up at the ceiling. Ever since then, detectors and ministry workers have been working hard to discover who had murdered the three only remaining relatives of the Boy Who Lived. At first, they had abandoned the apparently obvious answer ¡V that Harry himself had killed them, with the Unforgivable Curse. They were unwilling to believe that famed boy who had saved them from the Dark Lord, time after time, would commit such a crime himself. But as time passed, authorities began turning their target onto him, suspecting. Hasty ministry workers started to want to just accuse Harry of being the murderer, and have it done with the case.
Few people believed Harry that he had not done it. Even Ron and Hermione chose to believe Harry as a murderer, and had began to shun him, avoiding him, regarding him as a total stranger, finding comfort in each other. Professor McGonagall didn¡¦t believe him, Hagrid didn¡¦t believe him. None of the Gryffindors believed him. They despised him for what they thought he had done. It was as if the world around Harry was falling to pieces. The only people who believed him were, surprisingly, Professor Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Lucius and Draco Malfoy.
Draco Malfoy. The only student in the school to believe his tale, believed him, listened to him as he poured out his soul, his worries, his mind. The same Draco Malfoy, who after so many years of hatred, he had fallen, unwittingly, in love with. The few weeks they had spent in Hogwarts, Draco spent many a night, under the clear night sky, by the lake, listening to Harry, comforting him, cheering him up.
Nightmares haunted him, of being taken away, screaming, being thrown into Azkaban, then the memory of the near encounter with a dementor almost giving him a Dementor¡¦s kiss¡K
The tired, wary eyes of one of the Ministry members darted around, and after looking around the room in the terrified silence, he spotted Harry. His eyes were sad, and they regarded Harry in silent respect before his companion, a dark looking wizard, in spectral black robes, spotted him as well, raising a gnarled finger, then growled, ¡§Grab him.¡¨
Harry began to back away, his eyes starting to grow frantic, as the four guards advanced upon him. The fear at the back of the boy¡¦s mind began to creep back at him, gnawing him, growing bigger and bigger, dominating his whole mind and heart, until he was engulfed in pure terror. Students behind him moved to the two sides, watching with interested yet despising glances at the panicking boy.
¡§No¡K¡¨ whispered Harry, shaking his head slightly, his body trembling, his eyes wide with fright. ¡§No¡K¡¨ Harry winced as his back hit the wall ¡V he could back away no more. Ron and Hermione regarded him from the other end of the room, emotionless except occasional frightened sobs from the latter.
Harry began to shake violently as the guards closed in on him. ¡§No, I didn¡¦t do it!¡¨ His breath became ragged and quick, his lips colourless, his face pale. Suddenly another person bursted through the portrait hole: a harassed, panting, yet determined looking Draco Malfoy.
¡§Get away from him!¡¨ he shouted as he stood, breathing heavily. ¡§He didn¡¦t do it!¡¨ He tried to push past the gruff looking Ministry member, but was only caught by him. Being the strong boy he was, Draco was still no match for the fully grown and horribly strong adult wizard.
¡§Draco, save me!¡¨ said Harry, his words truncated by his quick breathing. ¡§Draco, save me! Take them away from me ¡V I didn¡¦t do it!!!¡¨
¡§Get off me!¡¨ yelped Draco as he fought to loosen the Ministry member¡¦s grip on his arm. The wizard responded by pulling his other arm to his back, then, grabbing a rope from a bag that was brought along with them, tied up the struggling Slytherin¡¦s wrists, bounded the other end against one of his own fists, then proceeded to tie his legs together as well.
¡§Draco!!!¡¨ screamed Harry desperately as he watched his sole believer being tied up and rendered helpless. A handkerchief was forced around Draco¡¦s mouth as he tried to speak. Gruff hands seized Harry, forcing his hands to his back, tieing them up, then wrapping some cloth around them so that there was no way Harry¡¦s fingers could work against the to-be ropes on his legs, then tied up his hands a few more times. Draco watched, helpless, struggling still, as Harry¡¦s legs were bound together with strong, steely looking rope. ¡§No!¡¨ Harry screamed. ¡§I didn¡¦t do it! Please, believe me! I would never do something like that!!! I - ¡¨
The boy¡¦s words were cut short as a rough hand connected to his cheek. One of the guards had slapped him. A red, barren looking hand mark lay across his white, smooth face as Harry slid against the wall, defeated, his arms and legs bound up, to sit on the cold stone floor.
¡§I didn¡¦t do it¡K¡¨ His voice reduced once again into a helpless whisper, tears sliding silently down his cheeks, as a thick blanket was forced around his mouth. His head leaned against the wall in frustration, in final defeat. His once vibrant green eyes stared around the common room, at the people who once called themselves his friends. Ron ¡V he was staring at him, his face unreadable, at Hermione, who was sobbing quietly, her head resting on Ron¡¦s chest. On Dean, Parvati, Seamus, Colin, Neville¡K his heart gave a wrench. Why am I so foolish to believe them? He asked himself silently, pain searing in his heart, as his eyes rested finally on Draco. He was still struggling, his brows locked in fierce determination. He glared at the Ministry member, then looked back at Harry. Harry stared, his eyes sad, then shook his head at the other. Draco stopped. His heart was sad ¡V Harry was shaking his head to tell him to stop fighting, to stop fighting for what he should rightfully have. The Ministry member, seeing that he stopped, waved his wand, and all the bindings on Draco fell to the floor, and the Slytherin stood weakly, watching, as Harry was pushed roughly up. He wanted to make a surprise attempt, a last attempt, to save Harry, but Harry shook his head, firmly, despaired yet determined at him.
Everyone watched as Harry was carried out of the common room, then, without so much as a pause, resumed their own work.
Only Draco stood, motionless, surveying the last remaining souvenirs of Harry¡¦s existence evaporate into the thin air. A trail of crystal clear tear drops were spilled on the ground, following the path of which Harry had been taken. Draco dropped to the ground, then, touching the tears¡K
He cried his heart out.